Twilight of the Thunder God

Metal Blade; 2008

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Amon Amarth come advertised as "viking metal," an interesting proposition in 2008. The Stockholm band, which takes its name from Tolkien, certainly has the right trappings. Their songs are about vikings. Their album covers overflow with swords, shields, and he-men. Live, they don drinking horns and make sure to toast the crowd: "Skål!" But beneath their imposing beards lie men of the 21st century. Their ineptitude with charcoal grills is well-documented. Their albums are made with axes-- the six-string kind-- through the latest in recording technology. Vocalist Johan Hegg proudly told me about how he once parallel-parked the band's van and trailer in Manhattan.

But even without the traditional instruments used by other viking metal bands, Amon Amarth amply convey "vikingness." The secret lies in their melodies. They're strong, simple, and often romantic. Amon Amarth songs are instantly recognizable, a feat for a band whose singer favors a one-note growl. Early efforts were raw and dark, reflecting origins in straight-ahead death metal. Over time, the band's rhythm section grew sturdier, as did its songs. Since 2002's Versus the World, Amon Amarth's sound has solidified around several core elements: basic riffs, memorable melodies, and Hegg's voice, which is somehow deeply expressive.

Twilight of the Thunder God merely refines these elements, but the tune-up is noticeable. In a discography filled with catchy songs, these are some of Amon Amarth's catchiest. The band has stripped things down to bare essentials, all of which advance the cause of creating tunes that stick in one's head. (Fredrik Andersson still has a charming tendency to overplay bass drums, however.) The efficiency here approaches that of pop music. "Twilight of the Thunder God" is a barreling anthem about Thor (natch), "Where Is Your God?" is a barreling anthem about defeating the enemy (again, natch), and "No Fear for the Setting Sun" is yet another barreling anthem about battle. But the band switches speeds enough to prevent monotony. The driving pulse of "Free Will Sacrifice" evokes a down-tuned Judas Priest; "Guardians of Asgaard" is a mid-paced march with a surprisingly tender solo.

Though Amon Amarth sometimes get tagged as "death metal," that's not really accurate. Some of their riffs recall the sturm und drang of early Swedish death metal, and Hegg's vocal approach is pure death metal. But the band's sound is rather uplifting. Even its songs about death are stirring-- think Valhalla, not hell. ("Runes to My Memory", from 2006's With Oden on Our Side, is a downright tender ode to imminent death.) This spirit is probably what has enabled Amon Amarth to amass an astoundingly loyal following. At a recent sold-out show at New York's Irving Plaza, the band had a 1,000-strong crowd singing along. To see men, women, metalheads, and Wall Street types, young and old, chanting, "Oden! Guide our ships!" was quite heartwarming.